Puzzle.



PATENTED 001. 2, 1906.

LS. OURTIS PUZZLE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20, 1906.

Jain 6. (@7225)? qxnimaooao m: "emu; PETERS cm, WASHINGTON n c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2, 1906.

Application filed January 20, 1906. swarm. 297,068.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN S. Ounrrss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hudson, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention appertains to devices which require ingenuity and deftness in theirsolution.

The purpose of the invention is the provision of a puzzle comprising connected pieces and which in the solution separate the connections uniting the pieces without straining or otherwise injuring or'distorting the same.

A puzzle constructed in accordance with this invention embodies end pieces, links connecting said end pieces, and lock means for normally preventing separation of the links and which is required to be opened preliminary to manipulating the links to effect their separation.

The invention will be more particularly set forth hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of a puzzle constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention. Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1, having the end pieces in section. Fig. 3 is a detail view of an end piece on a larger scale, showing the relation of the parts when the lock is manipulated to effect a release of the cooperating link.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The puzzle comprises end pieces 1 and 2, a series of links 3, interlooped with one another and with the end pieces and serving to connect the latter, and a lock mechanism mounted in one of the end pieces and normally serving to prevent separation of the parts. The end pieces 1 and 2 may be of any design or construction, and in the preferable form they are of similar outline and approximate the shape of acorns. The links 3 may be of any form, either round or oblong, the terminal links being split, as indicated at 4, to receive a lock-bolt 5, which prevents turning of the link coupled to the end piece without interfering with its oscillatory movements.

Each end piece comprises a shell 6 and a cap 7, the latter having a limited sliding movement upon the shell and free to turn thereon in any direction. An outer flange 8,

provided at the outer end of the shell 6, is adapted to engage withan inner flange 9 of the rim of the cap 7, and thereby limit the outward movement of said cap. The lockbolt 5 of the end piece 1 is preferably stationary, and its outer end at all times projects into the space 4 of the link coupled to the shell 6, thereby preventing turning of said link to bring the space 4 exterior to the shell to admit of separation of the link coupled thereto. A spring 10 normally exerts an outward pressure upon the cap 7, thereby holding the inner flange 9 in engagement with the outer flange 8. The cap 7 of the end piece 1 may be pressed inward and turned in either direction without affecting the lock-bolt 5 and when released automatically assumes a normal position by the action of the spring 10 in regaining itself.

The end piece 2 is constructed in a manner similar to the end piece 1, with-the exception of the lock-bolt 5, which is mounted to receive a limited longitudinal movement to admit of its end beingwithdrawn from the space 4 of the link coupled to the shell .6 of the end piece, so that said link may be turned to project the space 4 beyond theshell and admit of the link interlooped therewith being moved by passing out through said space'4, as indicated most clearlyin Fig. 3. A spring 1 1 normally exerts a pressure upon the lock-bolt 5 to hold its inner end projected into the space 4 of the link coupled to the shell of the end piece 2. The spring 11 is mounted upon the lock-bolt and is confined between a stop 12 thereof and a cross-piece 13 of the shell 6. Cooperating means are provided between the movement lock-bolt 5 and the cap 7, whereby upon pressing the cap 7 inward upon the shell 6 the cap and lock-bolt will become interlocked, and upon moving the cap 7 outward the lock-bolt will correspondingly move therewith and withdraw the inner end of the lockbolt from engagement with the link coupled to the end piece 2, so that said link may be turned to the position substantially as shown in Fig. 3, to permit of separation therefrom of the link interlooped therewith. The interlocking means preferably consist of a pin or projection 14 near the outer end of the lockbolt 5 and an inner plate or bar 15, having a notch 16, to admit of ingress or egress of the projection 14. When the cap 7 is pressed inward and turned to bring the notch 16 in register with the projection 14, the latter will pass through said notch and upon turning the cap will engage with the plate or bar 15 and upon outward movement-of the cap the lockin -bolt will also move therewith.

By aving the end pieces similarly constructed and provided with caps adapted to receive both a longitudinal and a turning movement the difficulty of solving the puzzle is increased, as the uninitiated are at a loss to determine which end piece to select to eflect a release of the link connection, and the chances are that considerable time will be spent upon the end piece 1, which, as herein stated, is not adapted to be separated from the link coupled thereto. It is further noted that the terminal links have the end portions bordering upon the space 4 passed through openings in the conical end upon opposite sides of a central point in which the same vanish as the bow of a watch-pendant is con nected to the stem, the link having a free swinging movement, but prevented from relative turning by the end of the lock-bolt which projects into the space 4.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A puzzle comprising end pieces and links interlooped with one another and with the end pieces and serving to connect the same, and cooperating interlocking means to effect a release of a link whereby the connected end pieces may be separated.

' 2. A puzzle comprising end. pieces each having a movable part, links interlooped with one another and with the end pieces for connecting the same, a lock device cooperating with an end piece and with the link connected thereto to hold the same in normal position, and means for effecting release of the lock device and adapted to be actuated by the movable part of the end piece.

3. A puzzle comprising similar end pieces each comprising a shell, and a cap or movable part having a limited sliding movement and an unrestricted rotary movement, links interlooped withone another and with the end pieces for connecting the latter, and a lock device normally in engagement with a link to hold the same in a given position, said lock device being mounted Within the shell or body, and interlocking means between the lo ck device and the cap or movable part to admit of release of the link and separation of the connected end pieces. 1

4. A puzzle comprising end pieces, links interlooped with one another and with the end piece for connecting the latter, each end piece comprising a shell having an outer flange and a cap having a limited sliding movement upon the shell and free to turn thereon in either direction, and having an innner flange for cooperation with the outer flange of the shell to prevent casual displacement of the ca a lock-bolt mounted within each shell and aving an end portion in engagement with the link coupled to said shell, and interlocking means between one of the lock-bolts and cap to admit of withdrawing the lock-bolt from engagement with the link to effect separation of the end pieces.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. CURTISS. 

